JUNE 12, 2014

Magny Cours still trying for F1 return

Talks to take formula one back to France are still on, according to Magny Cours boss Serge Saulnier.

Last month, Saulnier said: "If the will of a number of people is confirmed in the coming weeks, we are very close (to returning)."

He said Magny Cours, located a remote 250 kilometres from Paris and absent from the calendar since 2008, is heading for a comeback race in 2015.

But when F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone was asked at the Monaco grand prix about those French reports, he said: "No.

"They'll knock at the door but I don't think we can do anything," he told Reuters.

But when asked this week if Magny Cours is still trying to bring formula one back, track boss Saulnier said: "Yes, we're trying.

"We are discussing with FOM (Formula One Management) about the guarantees that we have to give," he told the Spanish-language Motorpasionf1.

Magny Cours' efforts might be thwarted due to the fact that Ecclestone owns the company, Excelis, that owns another French grand prix candidate, Paul Ricard.

When asked about Paul Ricard, Saulnier said Magny Cours is the better option "because we have a greater capacity to accommodate the public".

But Saulnier said the biggest issue is that "F1 is politically incorrect in France, among both politicians and the people".

He insists, however, that F1 needs France. "Yes," said Saulnier, "France is a market of 65 million people, which is very important for television."

Another potential European venue for the ever-expanding F1 calendar is the Ferrari-owned Mugello, located near Florence.

"At the Autodromo del Mugello I am lucky to have a person of quality, Paolo Poli," Omnicorse quotes Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo as saying this week.

"He runs the most beautiful circuit in Italy where, in addition to having MotoGP, maybe soon there will be even formula one, perhaps by asking the president of the region for some help and some more modern infrastructure," he added.